The Bear is back. Ask Georgia, who got shellacked 41-30 on Saturday night to a too fast, too hungry Alabama team. Bama raced to a 31-point lead that all but the most insane UGA fan knew was too much to overcome. With Florida's loss to Ole Miss, that makes the Tide and LSU the only undefeated teams in the SEC. Who's the best? We'll know shortly, but what's not up to debate is that Alabama looks scary-good. UGA made John Parker Wilson hook up with sensational freshman Julio Jones on a 31-yard pass and Glen Coffee churned out 82 yards on a good UGA defense. If Alabama can do this to UGA (the game was not as close as the final score indicated) then LSU, with its vanilla secondary, looks like easy pickings.
Florida's quarterback Superman Tim Tebow after his team's 31-30 loss to Ole Miss on Saturday: "You have never seen any player in the entire country play as hard as I will play the rest of this season and you'll never see someone push the rest of the team as hard as I will push everybody the rest of this season, and you'll never see a team play harder than we will the rest of this season."
Sure, they beat a self-wound-inflicting Mississippi State team 34-24, but can they beat Florida or Georgia? I don't know, I tell ya. A steady dose of Charles Scott (27 carries, 141 yards, 2 TDs) kept the Bulldogs from sneaking away with the victory, but the pass defense? SUS. PECT. Tyson Lee, junior quarterback for MSU, looked befuddled some of the time and like a giant-killer the other part of the time, throwing quick outs and slants to the halfback all day. His 175 passing was a rather good day for him, despite having the scrappy Christian Ducre drop a running sure-to-be touchdown (yet another break LSU got). A sluggish performance can be expected this week with all the turmoil in the top 10, but LSU will no doubt be No. 2 when the polls open up Sunday evening at 6 PM. They'll have to start playing like it. Check the stats here.
As Mississippi State prepares for No. 5 LSU, coach Sylvester Croom says one word has described the Bulldogs season so far: Frustration. "Our players are frustrated, our coaches are, I am frustrated, and I think our fans are — matter of fact I have no doubt that our fans are frustrated and I understand that," Croom said. MSU is putting forth the effort, playing Auburn to a 3-2 joust two weeks ago before stepping out of the SEC last week against Georgia Tech. "We all expected to be in a better situation than we are in right now. The only thing that I can say is that we had some awfully good things happen to us last year. We got some breaks last year. We are having some things go against us right now. Still he is not about to throw in the towel with LSU on the horizon. "Maybe this is what we need. I think the guys have got pride and I think they'll respond to the challenge."
(1.) THE SPREAD WAS DEAD: Auburn's new offense is supposed to be about speed and just calling plays at reckless abandon, catching the defense off-balance. Saturday night, the offensive line was the one off-balance, looking to the sideline after every play to get the word, thus giving LSU's defense a chance to adjust. Auburn had the ball with 6 minutes left and a one-point lead, but couldn't run nor did they try to run the clock down, both factors killed them.
(2) AUBURN COULDN'T RUN THE BALL: With Ben Tate moving the chain in half=yard increments (Auburn finished with just 70 yards rushing) Auburn needed the swifty cutback services of running back Brad Lester. But he went out with a right leg injury mid-way through the third quarter, one week after being knocked out with a neck strain last week against Mississippi State. The loss was devastating for Auburn's offense: It mean Chris Todd (250 passing yards on 17 completions in 32 attempts) would have to do it all.
(3.) LSU COULD: Around LSU's third drive, a funny thing happened, tailback Charles Scott (132 yards on 21 carries) started to break off 6- and 7-yard gains on a blitzing defense. As the night wore on, Scott's legwork started to wear on the Auburn defense. “We fought hard on defense but I thought we got tired a little bit,” Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville said. Scott, the first LSU running back to go over 100 yards at Auburn, led an LSU rushing attack that had 178 yards on 38 carries.
(4) AUBURN FAILED TO CAPITALIZE ON LSU MISTAKES: Remember, LSU has only played 2 games, one being cancelled because of Hurricane Gustav, and it showed. Return man Trindon Holliday fumbled twice trying to catch punts and LSU got the ball both times. Jarrett Lee's costly interception that was returned for Auburn’s second touchdown by defensive end Gabe McKenzie should have been accompanied by constant pressure from Auburn on the young quarterback, but he was allowed to get his legs under him.
(5) TUBERVILLE WAS OUTCOACHED: Rare is the day when Les Miles outcoaches anyone (including last year), but the playcalling was masterful (an onside kick, running back Keiland Williams' 22-yard pass to Demetrius Byrd, and a few that didn't work). Tuberville tried his conservative best to counter, sending quarterback Chris Todd on read-runs early in the second half, but they didn't stay with it. “The big thing was, we were trying to be smart and not turn the ball over,” Todd said. “The defense has played great all year.”
auburn coach Tommy Tuberville may need law enforcement to escort him to his car after tonight's game if his No. 10-ranked Tigers don't do the job against the No. 6 LSU Tigers. Auburn's prestigious brand hasn't been the same since the 2006 game between these two. Indeed the 2006 game changed everything. Auburn was seen as the undisputed SEC West powerhouse before that game. Although they won, toward the end of the season the damage was evident, and the football pundits recognized it: LSU was the new Best in West. The hitting was so hard and brutal (both teams suffered injuries), that Tuberville later admitted that his team was never the same after it. LSU was held to 3 points. THREE, despite having talent at every skill position in the form of quarterback JaMarcus Russell, receivers Dwyane Bowe and Early Doucet. Les Miles learned then that the offense needed to be more productive, and since then they have: LSU has scored at least 21 points in 23 straight games since that 2006 game at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Tonight, that streak may be broken. The good news or LSU fans? Auburn may be facing back to back games without having scored a touchdown.
Quarterback Advantage: Auburn LSU is playing two guys, Jarrett Lee and Andrew Hatch, but both are green and trying to find their way. And you just can't trust that, not yet anyway. The yards they have are due to the receivers making plays. Auburn on the other hand is due for a breakout. They have behind center junior quarterback Chris Todd and, at times, sophomore backup Kodi Burns. Auburn is eighth in the league in total offense, 10th in scoring, fifth in rushing, 11th in passing and last in passing efficiency.
Running backs Advantage: Auburn LSU has a stable of running backs but, like their quarterback position, no one has stepped up to take the reins and, well, ran with them. Charles Scott is probably the best in the backfield, but can he take the pounding of an SEC season? No, and the dropoff is considerable. Trindon Holliday should give them a spark though. Brad Lester is out, but Ben Tate is as tough a runner as there is this year in the SEC, and he gutted LSU like a fish last year. If he gets hot, and Tuberville continues to go to him, LSU is in trouble.
Receivers Advantage: LSU LSU has Brandon LaFell and Demetrius Byrd, both with quality PT last season, althoug LaFell can go through phases of the dropsies. Does Auburn have anyone who can seize control of a game? Montez Billings can jump. Does he have other skills?
Offensive line Advantage: LSU Auburn had, like, a dozen penalties last week against Mississippi State, all attributed to the new spread offense. Those mistakes won't be so forgiving this time. Meanwhile, LSU's guys are experienced know the scheme.
Defensive line Advantage: LSU Auburn has the SEC's best unsung group up front, but LSU's won't take a back seat to anybody. Due to game experience, Ricky Jean-Francois, Tyson Jackson, etc. make LSU's line a tad bit better, but Auburn's is right there.
Linebackers Advantage: Auburn With the loss of Darry Beckwith, LSU loses this one. His backup, Jacob Cutrera, has experience but doesn't play the pass as well, of course, Auburn's offense doesn't pass particulary well. Still, Auburn has studs at the position that could start for any team anywhere.
Defensive backs Advantage: Auburn This is not even close. Both teams have talent back here, but Auburn is simply playing at a higher level. They've got one shutout and given up 2 points in another game. The DBs are the reason why.
Special teams Advantage: LSU Colt David gives LSU an experienced kicker, while Auburn's Wes Bynum missed two field goals last week, and is known to choke in bigger games. Trindon Holliday vs. Robert Dunn? Not even close.
Coaching Advantage: LSU Tommy Tuberville is a great coach, but rarely sticks to his guns. Les Miles is crazy, but rarely goes out without his medication, so .... I'd give the edge to last year's championship winner Miles.
The Dawgs are 3-0 but have slid from No. 1 to No. 3 from no fault of their own. Why? What are voting media members being disillusioned about? South Carolina? They are a good football team. I don't get it. Is it because the Powers That Be want to devalue Georgia or the SEC? The ramifications are great. Okay, I'll admit it. My reasons for wanting to know are selfish: See, when LSU beats them later this year, we want to whip a No. 1, not a No. 2 or 3. It means soooo much. This week, the SEC has 5 teams in the top 10 (a first). That just may be too much for some folks to handle. And the charade is uncovered. Grrrrr. Fear not, my red-and-black brethren, USC will not make it through the season undefeated. We'll get our chance (s). In the meanwhile, LSU will have to make due with beating up on Auburn (which will score more than 3 points; we'll give them 13.). Prediction: LSU 23 - AUBURN 13.
Could it be? Both No. 6 LSU and the No. 9 Auburn Tigers have glaring weaknesses as the two are set to play this weekend. LSu lost excellent linebacker Darry Beckwith last week and won't have him back this week either, according to coach Les Miles. "It’s safe to say he won’t be available this week,” Miles said. “I think he’ll be back pretty soon, but I don’t know when.” Not that that is the only problem for the Bayou Bengals. See, they can't seem to throw the dang football as well. For both of LSU's games, the running game (241 yards Saturday night), featuring Charles Scott, has gone gangbusters while the passing game has been passe' at best. Andrew Hatch, the heir apparent, threw his first career interception, while Jarrett Lee looked mediocre at best, tossing the pigskin for just 84 yards. Will that be enough to beat Tuberville's boys? Speaking of them, they survived Mississippi State with a hockey score 3-2 victory thanks to some key defensive stops late. Truth be told, the score should have been somewhere between 13-6. Auburn kicker Wes Byrum missed from 42 and 22 yards, but nailed a 35-yarder in the 2nd quarter that, well, was more than the Bulldogs could overcome (State also missed a 38-yarder). Auburn is still in wait-and-see mode after tailback Brad Lester landed on his head a week ago. His status for Saturday's game is unclear. Will 3 points get it done against the Tigers on Saturday? Probably not, no matter how confident Tommy Tuberville is. "I never really felt threatened last night of losing that ball game once we got ahead 3-0," Tuberville said Sunday. Can you believe that?
It's Thursday and gas stations are still closed except for a few. Walmart is closed (unforgivable). Roads still have power lines down. News on when electricity will be back up is still skimpy at best.Good Samaritans are popping up, sawing through tree limbs in peoples' yards, but the government? TERRIBLE. The only thing that can take my mind off this is LSU Football. I need a minute:
While New Orleans largely survived Gustav, a new threat is taking shape in the city: Call it Twisted Eminent Domain. Now that the city has emptied itself onto its Southern neighbors, city, state and federal officials are making sure they stay out. Mothers, fathers, children ready to come back home and end this chaotic odyssey are being told they can't come home. Come again? Nola residents being held out of their own homes? Sure, there's no power, the officials say. Getting electricity back on in the city (and most of the Southern end of the whole state) will take the better end of a week, but people are losing patience and money as they are being forced to live on the highways and byways. Army-for-hire Blackwater even went so far as to post their application online for anyone who already had "arrest powers," to go down to New Orleans. REPEAT: NEW ORLEANS IS FULL OF BLACKWATER MERCENARIES RIGHT NOW.
Sat, Sep 5 vs McNeese State (CANCELLED)
Yesterday @ Mississippi State W 21 - 19 Final
Sat, Sep 19 vs Auburn W 45 - 21
Sat, Sep 26 @ Syracuse
Sat, Oct 3 vs Eastern Michigan
Sat, Oct 10 @ South Carolina
Sat, Oct 17 vs Florida
Sat, Oct 24 vs Western Kentucky
Sat, Nov 7 @ Alabama
Sat, Nov 14 vs Arkansas
Sat, Nov 21 @ Ole Miss
Sat, Nov 28 vs Texas A&M
